The Shifting Sands
by Anime-Jrockloverqueen12
Summary: Temari doesn't realize she has feelings for Shikamaru, but when the Black Sun kidnaps Gaara, he's the only one she can turn to. Temari X Shikamaru.
1. My Little Brother

**My first Temari and Shikamaru fan fic. I've always thought those two were meant for each other, but it's only now that I thought 'hey, maybe I should write a fan fic about them.' Yeah, I know. I rule.**

………… **means a short time passed (about 4-8 hours)**

* * *

**  
means a long period of time (about 10 or more hours)**

Shifting Sands

Chapter one- My Little Brother

The sun shone on the black surface of Temari's fan. She was cleaning the huge weapon while basking in the sunlight. "Yo, Temari." Kankuro said, jumping down from a rooftop. Temari stopped what she was doing and turned to her brother.

"What is it?"

"That kid from Konoha is here to see you."

Temari stood up, "Again? What does he want?"

Kankuro shrugged, "He didn't say, just like always."

Temari sighed and lifted her fan. She left Kankuro and started heading towards the Sand village gates. She saw a figure start to appear before her as she neared the town walls.

"What do you want now?" she asked.

"I need some extra help." The boy said. He kept his hands in his pockets. He seemed to be bored.

"It's always the same thing. Don't you have other allies?" Temari leaned on her fan and yawned.

The boy sighed heavily, "If you don't want to do it, then say no."

Temari thought about it. She had nothing else to do. Besides, she always loved a good mission.

"All right. I'll come along."

The boy half smiled, "Okay then. First we need to go back to Konoha."

Temari nodded and followed him out her home. They walked quietly through the woods towards the leaf village. All the while Temari tried to keep herself from asking something, but she found it harder every minute. The thickening silence was starting to drive her crazy. The boy didn't seem bothered by it at all. In fact, he seemed to like it.

Finally, Temari could take it no longer. She opened her mouth to speak, "Hey, Shikamaru," The boy looked back at her with question on his face. She half smiled, "Why do you always come to me?" Shikamaru looked up towards the clouds and sighed. The he turned back to Temari and smirked, "Because…I don't trust anyone else."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"I'm glad you decided to help," Shikamaru said as they stood in front of Konoha. Temari looked at the floor, "Yeah, well…whatever." Shikamaru shrugged and stared at the gates. Temari was starting to wonder what he was waiting for.

She got her answer as two other leaf ninjas walked out the village. One was Hyuuga Neji. He looked like he had better things to do with his day. The other was Haruno Sakura. She was eager to leave the village. She hadn't had the heart to leave after Sasuke left, but now she was ready and willing.

"Okay, the teams together. Let's go." Shikamaru led the way back into the forest. Temari's legs were still a little tired from the first walk, but she didn't complain. It was either this or nothing. She rather do this.

"Where are we going?" she asked, realizing she had no clue.

Neji spoke, "We're going to find a missing person. He left to collect some herbs and hasn't returned since."

Temari slammed her fan down, "You mean to tell me that this is what Shikamaru need me for? This mission is lame!"

Shikamaru groaned, "It's more than that. There are rumors that a sinister group is kidnapping people for some experiment."

"Our true mission is to find the organization and destroy it." Sakura finished.

Temari looked at each face. None of them seemed really into the mission. They all looked bored. "Do we have any clues to follow?" She asked to brighten the mood a little. "There was an article of clothing at the last kidnapping," Neji said, "It had an odd powder on it. After searching the evidence found at the other kidnappings, we saw that the powder was on all of them." Temari sighed. She was hoping for a more eventful mission, but this would have to do. She just hoped there would be some ass to kick.

"This was where the last kidnapping took place." Shikamaru pointed to a clearing. Small mounds of purple powder littered the grass. Temari walked over and leaned to touch the powder. "Don't do that," Shikamaru warned, "Who knows what it does." Temari rolled her eyes, "I know! I was just going to…take a closer look." Shikamaru just shrugged his shoulders. He didn't have time for this.

"Let's just go already. The powder leaves a trail." Shikamaru began walking deeper into the woods. Neji and Sakura followed obediently. Temari looked at the powder a little longer. "I know I've seen this somewhere before…." She muttered. Finally, she forced herself to follow the others, even though the familiarity was eating her up inside.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

"The trail still goes on…" Shikamaru was bent over the purple substance. He was starting to wonder how long this would go. "We've been walking for hours…" Sakura sighed. Even though he didn't show it, Neji was tired as well.

"We should stop for now and continue tomorrow." Shikamaru concluded. He stood up and rolled his shoulder, "This is getting really annoying. It seems like an endless trail." He noticed that Temari didn't say anything for the past couple of hours. He saw her staring into the distance. She seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"Neji, set up the tent. Sakura, you can get the fire started." Shikamaru ordered. They nodded and got to work. Shikamaru tried to do his part, but he couldn't stop worrying about Temari. She looked really out of it. "Temari." He called. She turned to him slowly. It took a few seconds for her to register who she was looking at. "Yes, Shikamaru?" "Are you okay?" he asked with more concern than he meant to show. Temari smirked, "Yeah, I'm fine. Do you need help with the camp?" Shikamaru nodded. She leaned her fan against a tree and helped Neji set up the tent. Shikamaru saw she wasn't really into it.

"There!" she said as the tent stood. Sakura had the fire going strongly. The camp was complete.

"I think I'm going straight to bed." Sakura said with a yawn. She was up all last night trying to forget about Sasuke. She desperately needed sleep.

Neji looked up at the dark sky. "I think I will too." He was fatigued too.

Shikamaru followed Neji's gaze. He relaxed as he saw the gray clouds floating across the sparkling sky. Temari watched him and smiled. She loved his simplicity, yet he was still so perplex. Something about it made Temari respect him more.

Neji and Sakura entered the large tent. Temari took a seat next to Shikamaru. Even though she was looking at the same sky he was, she couldn't get the same calm feeling. She still remained a little tense.

"What do you see in the clouds?" she asked.

Shikamaru shrugged, "Their just so…lazy. I feel like one of them."

Temari smirked, "Yeah, you sort of are. But you're still different."

"How?"

"For starters, you have a brain."

Shikamaru laughed. Temari was shocked. She had never heard him laugh before.

"I guess there's a first time for everything." She said, smiling.

Shikamaru turned away from her. He surprised even himself with the laugh. And to top that, Temari's smile was disarming.

"….." Temari heard Shikamaru mumble something.

"What? Speak louder."

"You're similar to a rose." He said, still turned away from her.

Temari was confused, "How?"

"You have a tough personality just like the rose has thorns. But you know what?"

Shikamaru finally got the courage to look Temari in the face.

Temari watched him expectantly, "What?"

Shikamaru smiled. It was a real smile, not a sarcastic one.

Then he said softly, "You're both beautiful."

Temari's face burned as Shikamaru stood up. He stretched his arms over his head and yawned. "Maybe we should go to bed too. I don't want anyone falling behind tomorrow." Temari nodded and stood up as well. She looked at everything but Shikamaru as he put out the fire. Then they walked to the tent opening and crawled inside.

Temari smiled as she closed her eyes. She thought about Shikamaru's comparison. _Like a rose…_

* * *

"Let's get an early start." Shikamaru was first up. He was ready to continue following the trail. Neji was out after him. Then Sakura. Somebody was missing. "Where's Temari?" Sakura asked looking around. The others looked around as well. She was nowhere to be found.

Shikamaru noticed small footprints in the dirt leading to the right. He motioned for the others to wait as he followed the faint trail. "Temari?" He called as the prints began to disappear. Suddenly he saw a figure appear in the brush. It was Temari. She was holding some of the purple powder in her hands. Her face showed a lot of worry.

"Temari, we're about to go." Shikamaru pushed the leaves out of his way and walked closer to her. When she looked up at him, her expression took on its normal appearance.

"I think we should get more help." She said with urgency.

Shikamaru was confused, "I think we have enough."

Temari shifted the powder between her fingers. The way it moved wasn't like powder at all. Shikamaru realized that it was sand. Purple sand.

Temari explained, "This is the sand of Taiyou no Kuroi."

"The Black Sun…?"

"Yes. He left the sand village a long time ago to pursue his dream of being the most powerful ninja in the world."

Shikamaru sighed, "Don't they know that never happens? It always fails."

Temari nodded, "But this ninja is dangerous. His sand is not normal, as you can see. It's made from human remains."

Shikamaru froze. "The kidnapped people…"

"I'm probably holding their flesh right now."

Shikamaru groaned as he let it all sink in. He was hoping that this would be a simple mission. He hated putting his team in danger. "Do you know where he hides out?" He asked. Temari nodded, "It's not far from the sand village." The team was way past the sand village. It would be hours before they reached it again. "How far away is it from the sand village, Temari?" Temari thought about it. "We're close to it…just a few more feet ahead I think." Shikamaru was relieved. He was tired of walking.

"How do you know about his place?" He asked as they headed back to the camp. Temari cast her eyes down, "He almost got Kankuro once. It was dumb luck that I was able to rescue him." Shikamaru realized that it was something Temari didn't want to talk about, so he got off the subject. Instead he looked up at the trees covering the sky.

"Are we ready?" Neji asked as soon as they reached the camp. Shikamaru nodded. They made sure that everything was packed, then they followed Temari to the Black Suns hideout.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Here we are." Temari pointed to a huge cave. The inside was dark and damp. Water dripped from the ceiling and echoed throughout the cave.

"It looks like a dump." Sakura said taking a step inside. Neji followed along with Shikamaru. "Temari, are you coming?" Shikamaru's voice joined the water's echo. Temari nodded slowly. Then she followed them inside.

"It smells too." Sakura held her nose. After a few moments of not breathing, she released it. " I guess I'll just have to deal with it." She concluded. The others nodded as they tried to ignore the stench of dried flesh.

"He'll be behind that barrier." Temari said, pointing to a stack of boulders. Shikamaru walked up to it a placed an exploding tag on it. It sunk inside. "This is a genjutsu." Temari explained, "I think I pointed to the wrong set of boulders." Shikamaru sighed, "Well, I only have three more exploding tags. You better know which one is the real one."

Temari inspected the other sets of boulders carefully. After about an hour, she became frustrated. "Screw this!" she pulled out her fan and sent a strong wind throughout the cave. Only one set of boulders collapsed.

"Well, that saves me some tags." Shikamaru said with a smirk. The ninjas followed her through the opened path. Temari continued to blow away the boulders until they came to a new room.

The air was so thick, it could easily be seen. An evil aura was clearly evident in the darkness. The stench was nearly unbearable.

"Well, well, well…if it isn't the helpless little girl…" a voice darker than hell echoed. Temari felt something crawling up her spine. Long, skinny fingers traveled up to her neck. She was too stunned to move.

The voice laughed, "Remember Kankuro…? I almost had him." The others still hadn't noticed him. His fingers lightly held Temari's neck. She could feel his horrid breath upon her skin. "But his sister saved him! You saved him Temari-chan…do you remember…?" Temari nodded. The hand tightened, "I want you to say it. I need to hear your lovely voice." Temari gulped, "Yes…"

The others heard her speak. They looked over to see her frozen in her spot. Everything else was darkness. "Temari! Are you okay?!" Shikamaru's voice no longer echoed. That meant something was in the room. Something big.

Suddenly the darkness shifted into a human figure. A man dressed in a dark cloak appeared behind Temari. His willowy fingers were pale with a tint of purple. His face was hidden behind a mask.

"I see you brought some more sand for me…" the figure snarled. His very presence was nerve racking.

"It's not for you!" Temari said, trying to regain her attitude. The closing hand around her neck made her choose otherwise.

"T-Temari!" Shikamaru tried to find a way to help her. He didn't see any.

"Now…I'll say it again….you brought some sand for me, right?"

Tears burned under Temari's eyelids, "Yes…it's for you."

Shikamaru and the others watched in shock as the man tossed Temari to the floor. "Thank-you, Temari-chan. I really appreciate it." Globs of purple sand began to come out of a sack on his waist. Even though the sack was small, the sand was endless.

"Let my dark sand consume your flesh. I want to be stronger!" The sand attacked the konoha ninjas. They quickly dodged, barely making it with their lives.

"Hyah!" Sakura lifted a heavy boulder. She effortlessly threw it at the sand ninja. Before it could touch him, the sand split the rock into billions of pieces. "Feisty…Black Sun likes…" the man licked his lips as Sakura scowled.

Suddenly, the Black Sun disappeared. It was almost like he was never there at all. "Neji!" Shikamaru called. Neji nodded, "Byakugan!" he scanned the area. His eyes only saw piles of bloody flesh in the dark room. He felt his stomach churn.

"Nothing, Shika-!" Neji was caught from behind. Black Sun's sand attacked from Neji's blind spot. Before he could even react, the sand wrapped around Neji.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu!" Shikamaru's shadow grabbed the Black Sun's. The sand left Neji and splattered to the floor. The Black Sun was under Shikamaru's control now. "Time to end this!" Shikamaru made him reach into his weapons bag and pull out a kunai. "Wait! Shikamaru don't!" Temari cried from the corner. It was too late. When the Black Sun's kunai went through his stomach, Shikamaru felt the pain.

"Dammit!" Shikamaru fell to the floor clutching his abdomen. Temari got up and ran over to him. "Shikamaru!" hot tears fell down her face. She blamed herself.

"Temari! Watch out!" Sakura stopped the Black Sun from grasping the sand kunoichi. She sent a jarring blow to his face. "Stupid wench!" the Black Sun's mask flew off. Before anyone could see his face, he quickly put it back on. Then he grabbed Sakura and smashed her into the ground. "Sakura!" Temari opened her fan and attacked the Black Sun. His sand spilled out and flew back. It seemed to be working.

"Oh no…" Temari's face froze as she saw the sand form into something. "It's not…it can't be…" The sand was in the shape of Gaara.

"I have him in a different chamber…" Black sun laughed.

Temari dropped her fan, "You're lying!"

Black Sun raised his hand. Temari heard a pained cry as he closed it into a fist. The sound was distant, yet near.

"That's your brother screaming. My sand is gripping his throat."

Her heart tore apart as the screams rose to a blood curdling level.

"STOP IT!" she screamed, "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Black Sun uncurled his hand. The screams faded into the darkness.

"Now do you see who holds the power in this situation?"

Temari nodded slowly. Her tears splattered on the floor.

Shikamaru got on his knees, breathing hard. He looked up to see a broken Temari. "How do we know that's really Gaara?" he said in her defense. She looked at him hopefully. The Black Sun laughed, "Do you want to challenge it?" Temari's hope faded completely. "No…."

"What do you want me to do?" she asked the Black Sun. He laughed, "Do you remember saving Kankuro?" Shikamaru watched as Temari got on all fours. She crawled over to the Black Sun. Then she got in a begging position. "Temari! What are you doing?!" It hurt Shikamaru to see headstrong Temari acting like a slave.

"Master…I'm at your command." She said the words in a sickenly sweet voice. Shikamaru felt his heart break. "Dammit…." He got up and stood unstably on his feet. He noticed the kunai was still in the Black Sun's stomach. The pain was growing in his body.

"Shadow possession jutsu!" he tried again. He got full control over the Black sun once more. Temari looked at him with urgency, "Shikamaru!" He ignored her and made his foe pull out the kunai. "I know you feel the pain too." Shikamaru said. He watched blood drip from the Black Sun's wound. "Call it suicide, but your going down!"

Shikamaru made him raise the kunai again. He made sure the aim was perfect. The target was the heart.

"Shikamaru! Please don't!" Temari couldn't bear to be the reason for his death. Shikamaru ignored her and began to slide the kunai into the heart.

"8 trigrams four palms!" Neji forcefully attacked the Black Sun before the kunai made contact with the heart. Shikamaru lost control as the kunai fell to the floor. "8 trigrams eight palms!" Neji hit each spot with pinpoint accuracy. The Black sun had no time to return fire.

"32 palms! 64 palms!" He finished his move by sending the enemy flying backwards. Unfortunately, the purple sand caught him before any damage was done.

"You can blame your friends…" Black Sun said angrily, "For the death of your brother."

Temari's eyes went wide, "NO! I won't let you hurt him!"

Before she could retaliate, everything turned black. Everyone seemed to melt into nothingness as the Black Sun let the darkness devour them.

* * *

"Wha…" Temari opened her eyes as the sun shone on her face. A few moments passed before it hit her. "Gaara!" she stood up and looked around frantically. She saw the others on the floor unconscious. They were at the campsite again.

"I have to save Gaara!" she said, grabbing her fan. She left the others and ran towards the cave. "NO!" she screamed as she met with an empty clearing. The cave had disappeared.

"You fucking coward! Give me my brother!" She fell to her knees and beat the floor with her fist. Not even when her hands began to bleed did she stop.

Finally, after a few minutes, she stopped beating the grass. "Gaara! I'm so sorry…." She let her tears burn into her wounds. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Shikamaru appeared behind her. The other two weren't far behind.

"Temari…" he said. She looked up at him and gasped. The amount of anger on his face nearly made her jump out of her skin. "Temari…I will help you find Gaara." His hand curled into a fist, "I bet my life on it."

Temari felt a new form of respect inside her. Neji and Sakura slightly smiled as the two stared at each other. "I think we shouldn't get involved…" Neji suggested. Sakura nodded. She knew Shikamaru was true to his word.

**Yeah! It's done. I didn't mean to type so much…nor did I mean to make so many 'time elapsed' thingies. Aw well, tell me what you think! Whoo-hoo! **


	2. Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

**I realized every time I wrote Kankurou, I didn't add the u. Yes, for those who didn't know, Kankurou's name is pronounced with a 'u' at the end. I just typed it the way Americans would most likely pronounce it, which would be Kankuro, but it is indeed Kankurou. U! Not a big deal, but it has some significance. **

Chapter two- Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Temari whistled as she neared her village. She was trying to distract herself from the inevitable. But soon, just like she expected, she heard what she feared most. "Temari!" Kankurou walked up to his sister. He smirked as he saw Shikamaru walking behind her.

"So…how was the mission?" he asked.

Temari looked down, "Not so well."

"What do you mean?"

Temari looked back at Shikamaru, then back to the floor.

Suddenly, something hit Kankurou; "I haven't seen Gaara since yesterday. Have you seen him, Temari?"

Temari looked like she was going to cry. The memories of Gaara's screams pierced her ears.

"Temari, are you okay?" Kankurou held his sister. She tried to keep herself from crying as she buried her head in his shoulder.

Kankuro looked to Shikamaru for some answers. Shikamaru sighed, "I'll explain."

…………………………………………………………………………

"Taiyou no Kuroi…he's the only one who even has a remote chance of capturing Gaara." Kankurou sat across from Shikamaru. Temari was next to him, sitting quietly. They were outside in a secluded part of the village. They sat on the ground as the sun kept them warm.

"The Black Sun's hideout disappeared after everything turned black." Shikamaru said, frustrated. Kankurou looked at Temari. She kept her head down the whole time. "I hate seeing her like this…" he said more to himself than anyone else. Shikamaru nodded. He did too.

"Do you guys have any leads? Do you have a single clue where he could have gone?" Kankurou was desperate now. Even though he already knew they found nothing, he still hoped. "No, Kankurou, but we do know we're no match for the Black Sun." Kankurou nodded. He knew all too well how powerful the Black Sun was.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did Temari have to do to save you?" Shikamaru asked tenderly. Temari began to slightly shake. Kankurou put his hand on her shoulder to still her body. "Do you mind, Temari?" Kankurou asked. A short pause passed. Finally she shook her head. "Go ahead."

Kankurou removed his hand and looked at Shikamaru. He received Shikamaru's full attention:

_(flashback)_

_"Temari! Help!" Kankurou was enveloped in purple sand. It was closing in on him with each passing second. "Don't worry, Kankuro! I won't let this bastard have you!"_

_Temari whipped out her fan and swung heavily. The wind knocked the Black Sun off his feet. The sand left Kankurou and captured him before he hit the wall. Kankurou fell to the floor gasping for breath. _

"_Kankurou!" Temari ran over to her brother._

"_Temari! Watch out!" Kankurou tried to move her out of the way, but the sand grabbed her and held on tight._

_"You little bitch! How dare you defy me!" The Black Sun made his sand close quickly around her body. She was starting to lose her vision. "_

_Take this!" Kankurou sent his puppet, Karasu, to trap The Black sun. Before it even got close, the sand slammed it against the wall. It had a life of it's own. _

_"Let her go!" Kankurou was losing a lot of options. He watched helplessly as Temari turned blue in the face. "What do I get in return?" the Black Sun snarled. Kankurou hadn't thought of anything. He didn't have anything to give._

_"Let's try this…" The Black Sun said coolly, "I let her go only if she does something for me…" Kankurou didn't know what he wanted, but at this point he was willing to agree to anything. "She'll do it!" Black Sun smiled. He let the girl fall harshly to the floor. Then he walked over to her and put chains around her neck._

_"W-what're you doing?" Kankurou stuttered. Temari opened her eyes as she regained her breath. When she realized she was in chains, she tried to take them off, "What the hell is this?!" she nearly choked herself trying to rip them off. "I thought you said she'd do anything. Or do you both want to die?" The Black Sun's voice dropped to a frightening degree. The sand taunted them as it danced around them. Temari moved her hands quickly from around her neck._

_"Good…" the sand placed chains on Kankurou's hands. He didn't like where this was going. "Now, my sweet little Temari-chan." The Black Sun removed his mask. Temari blushed as she gaze upon him. He was extremely handsome. His eyes were cat-like. They were colored a light blue that almost looked white. Long purple hair rested on his back in a ponytail. He had bangs softly covering his forehead. His smile was disarming as his beautiful teeth shone. He looked like a perfect gentleman._

_Temari turned away from him. He grabbed her chin and turned her to face him. "Do I not please you?" Temari couldn't stop the blush from rising in her face as she looked at him. There was something otherworldly about him. It made it hard to resist him. "You really are beautiful…" He said as his sand glided about her. It went under her clothes and slid against her flesh._

_"Ah!" Temari felt her whole body heat up. "Damn pedophile…" Kankurou spat in disgust, "Leave her alone!" Black Sun didn't look at Kankurou as he spoke, "I'm not going to fuck her...just make her feel good." He kept his eyes on Temari. She couldn't look away. She was in a trance._

_Kankurou tried to move against the chains. They began to cut his wrist as he pulled. "Dammit!" He knew his limits when his blood began dripping down his arms. Instead he looked away. He didn't want to see Temari in this situation. Just then, more sand left a sack on the Black Sun's waist. It turned his head until he faced Temari. Then it choked him until he opened his eyes._

_"You know, my real name is Karasuma Toru." The Black Sun said kindly to Temari, "I much prefer Kage or the Black Sun…which do you like, Temari-chan?" Temari was breathing hard as the sand groped her. "I like Kage, Kuroi Taiyou-sama." She was completely under his control. She gasped as the sand entered her womanhood. "Ah!" It swirled around her body like a snake. She was about to explode._

_"Kage was one of my top choices. After all, I rule the shadows as well." The Black Sun smiled sweetly. "You can cum now, Temari-chan." Kankurou realized she was holding out all this time for him to say okay. She would have come several minutes ago, but she held out._

_"Thank-you, Kage-sama…" she closed her eyes as her body jerked, "AHHH!" Kankuro closed his eyes as well as she squirted on the damp floor. _

_"Lovely…" Kage said as his sand went back into the sack. He closed his eyes and replaced his fox mask. Temari slowly snapped out of her trance. "I called him sama…" she said in disgust. Kankurou looked at her with sadness in his eyes. She refused to look back at him. She was too ashamed. _

"_Temari-chan, I want to hear your cute voice…" Kage motioned to her, "Crawl to me…" Temari began to decline, but the sand started to come for her. She sighed._

_Kankurou watched her get on all fours and crawl to him. The she stood on her knees and begged, "Master…I'm at your command." She said it in a sweet voice. It made Kankurou sick to his stomach._

Kage laughed. Then he petted Temari on the head. "Since you've been such a good little Temari-chan, I'll let you go." The chains fell from her neck and Kankurou's hands. Then everything turned black.

(end)

"I see…" Shikamaru let it sink in. The thought of the Black Sun using Temari like that made a strong rage burn in his chest. He managed to keep his face calm as he asked, "How long ago was this?" "About a year ago…" Kankurou answered. He tried not to look at Temari. He knew she was shaking.

"So Kage has been doing this for a while." Shikamaru said, using the nickname. It was hell of a lot easier than saying the Black Sun all the time. Kankurou nodded, "I know we aren't his first victims." "We were the first to make it alive, though…" Temari said softly. Both guys looked at her as she regained her composure, "I never want to beg to him again!"

Temari stood up and clutched her hands into a fist, "I want him dead!" Kankurou and Shikamaru smiled as Temari returned to her old self. But they all knew deep inside that there was no way they could beat him now.

…………………………………………………………………………

"Kankurou…" Temari asked as the sun began to set. Shikamaru had left a long time ago. This was the first time Temari spoke since.

"Kankurou…" she said again.

Kankurou stopped looking out the window and turned to Temari.

She was looking at the floor, "How do you think we'll do it?"

Kankurou took a deep breath. As he let it go, he felt some of his fears went with it.

"Right now…I'm not sure, but we'll make it happen."

"How do you think he got Gaara?" she asked. It seemed she had a lot on her mind.

Kankurou scratched his head, "That's a tough one, but not impossible. Kage is the only person I can think of that's capable of capturing Gaara. They both have deadly sand…" Kankurou resumed looking out the window, "Hopefully, Gaara's is stronger."

Temari was quiet. Kankurou basked in the silence. Even though questions were filling up his head, the setting sun washed them away. For the time being, anyway.

"Kankurou…" Temari said softly for the third time. This time, Kankurou didn't turn around.

"What did you see…when Kage took off his mask?" Temari picked up her fan and stared at it in her lap.

"I'm pretty sure the same thing you did." He said matter-of factly.

Temari pursued, "But what did you see exactly? Was he handsome?"

Kankurou turned around, "Hell no! Didn't you see him? He was old!"

Temari looked up, "Old…?"

Kankuro stood up from the windowsill, "Yeah! The guy had dull, gray hair with pure black eyes. His wrinkles went deep into his purple-tinted skin. He was disgusting!"

Temari used her fan to stand up, "Wait a minute! The Black Sun was handsome! His eyes…his skin…he was majestic!"

Kankurou nearly gagged, "You have some really weird taste, Temari."

Both siblings stared at each other. None of them believed the other.

"How are you going to tell me what I saw?!" Temari pouted, "I looked him in the eye!"

"I think he did more than hypnotize you," Kankurou said, getting a little angry, "It seemed he made you stupid too!"

"Stupid??! Last time I checked, you were the dumbass who went into the cave in the first place!" Temari was getting angry as well.

"How the hell was I supposed to know that some creepy dude who thirsted for flesh lived in there?!"

"You shouldn't have gone in the first place!" Temari sighed heavily, "Little brothers can be such a pain in the ass!"

Kankurou laughed mockingly, "Ha! A real pain in the ass is a sister who thinks she's the frickin' Kazekage! You feel like you rule the village, let alone me!"

Temari tapped her hand on her fan, "What the hell is that supposed to mean, _Kanku-chan_?"

Kankurou winced at the childish name, "It means you're a heartless bitch! And a bossy one at that!"

"A WHAT??!" Temari swung her fan at her brother angrily. Kankurou blew threw the wall and out onto the dirt path. "How DARE you!" Temari was standing over him now. A sinister glare shone from her eyes. "If I was a HEARTLESS BITCH, I'd have let the Black Sun consume your flesh!" She struck her fan down hard over Kankurou. He quickly dodged. The fan sunk into the dirt he was laying on moments ago.

"Are you trying to kill me?!" Kankurou said with a gulp. Temari turned to him slowly, "No, Kanku-chan. I'm just being BOSSY! I'm just being a frickin' PAIN IN THE ASS!" Kankurou felt her anger rise as she forcefully ripped her fan from the dirt. He gulped again as she came after him.

"Wait! Temari, I'm sorry!" he cried, heading into a dead end.

Temari walked over to him menacingly. The shadows that fell over her added to the horror.

"Please, Temari! You're not heartless! You're the best damn sister anyone could wish for!"

Kankurou pressed against the wall. He was hoping he could somehow melt through it.

Kankurou covered his eyes, "Temar-!"

"Are you sure…?" Temari interrupted.

Kankurou uncovered his eyes to see that Temari was crying. She didn't even seem to notice it.

"Are you sure I'm a good sister…? Does Gaara think I'm a good sister?" she dropped her fan and fell to her knees.

Kankurou pulled himself off the wall and held his sister. He felt extremely bad for referring to her as heartless.

"Listen, Temari…" He said softly, "I'm sorry. Really. You're right, if you were heartless, you'd have let Kage have me. But you're not. In fact, you did the opposite. You fought for me." Temari realized she was crying and began wiping her tears. Kankurou wiped some for her, "You really are the best sister any sibling could hope for. And you know what, Temari?" Temari looked at her brother. He smiled, "I bet Gaara thinks so too."

Temari smiled back as hope filled her body once more. She grabbed Kankurou and hugged him. "Thank-you, Kankurou." She said, squeezing tighter. "Um…yeah, your welcome…" Kankuro struggled to breathe, "Um…sis, you can let go now." Temari held on tighter. Kankurou sighed and let her do it. After all, he could count on his fingers how many times he's hugged Temari. "I'll let you have this moment." He said softly as the sun left them to bask under the moon's glare.

* * *

"You both saw something different?" Shikamaru folded his arms, letting the information sink in. Temari nodded. They were in Konoha at Ichiraku ramen. Shikamaru hadn't even touched his food. Neither did Temari.

"Kankurou said he was old, while I saw a young, handsome face." Temari poked at some soggy pork with her chopsticks. It floated into some of her uneaten noodles. Shikamaru hadn't even split his chopsticks apart. They lay neatly besides his now cold bowl.

"Now that I think about it, I saw something when his mask flew off…" Shikamaru absentmindedly picked up the chopsticks. Temari watched as he dipped them into the bowl. "What did you see?" she asked. Shikamaru shrugged, "I didn't get too good a look, but I could tell he was definitely old." Temari rolled her eyes, "First Kankurou. Now you! You all think I'm lying, don't you?!" Shikamaru sighed, "No…it's just not easy to explain, is all. I mean, how could you have seen something different, but Kankurou and I see something the same?"

They sat in silence, trying to figure out the puzzle. Shikamaru's chopsticks twirled in his soup as he spun them round and round. Temari just watched the ripples in the uneaten liquid.

Soon somebody sat on a stool besides Shikamaru. He ordered the biggest size of ramen they had. Then he spun to face Shikamaru. "Whatcha doing?" The familiar voice asked. Shikamaru responded, "What's it look like, Naruto?" Naruto looked at him, to Temari, then back to him. "Looks like you're on a date to me."

Shikamaru sighed, "You're really dense sometimes, Naruto." Naruto slurped some of his noodles before the guy could even put the bowl down, "Yeah, your right. After all, who'd want to go on a date with Temari?" Temari nearly ripped Naruto's head off, "What did you say?!" Shikamaru raised his hand to stop her.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto. "Only a guy with good taste in women would want to go on a date with Temari." He said coolly. Temari felt her face heating up as Shikamaru pushed his bowl forward. "Ogochisama de." Shikamaru said as he paid for the cold food. Naruto said one more thing before they left, "Is that why you were here with her?" Temari looked down as she waited for Shikamaru's 'no'. Shikamaru looked up at the drifting clouds. He felt a smile form at his lips as he looked back to the yellow-haired ninja, "Yes. I guess it is…"

He began to walk as a blushing Temari followed behind him. Though he looked cool on the outside, Naruto had made Shikamaru nervous. His heart was pounding beneath his chest. 'Yeah…' he thought to himself, 'That was why I was there…'

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Who is it?" Sakura's voice called through the door. "It's Shikamaru." He waited patiently as she slid the door open for him. "What do you need?" she asked, letting him inside. She saw Temari not far behind him. She closed the door behind her as they entered the Haruno household.

"Sakura…you remember hitting the mask off of Kage, right?" Shikamaru was already sitting down in the kitchen. Sakura took a seat across from him. Temari preferred standing.

"Kage…?" Sakura asked, confused.

"He means The Black Sun." Temari explained.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah, I remember."

Shikamaru leaned on the table, "Did you see anything when it fell off?"

Sakura thought about it. She slowly nodded, "It didn't occur to me before…but now that you mention it I did see something weird…"

Temari sat next to Shikamaru. She was anxious to hear what she saw. Shikamaru kept his eyes on Sakura. He was anxious as well.

"When I knocked the mask off," Sakura began, "I saw a beautiful man. He had small dark eyes. His hair was black and spiky. In fact…" she looked down and blushed, "he looked a lot like Sasuke…"

Temari listened intently. She knew she wasn't lying when she saw that handsome face, but still…the descriptions were different.

Shikamaru pursued, "What was the weird part?"

Sakura slightly shook, "When he turned his eyes away from me, he looked like an old man. His eyes were…pure black…"

"And he had purple-tinted wrinkled skin." Temari finished. Sakura nodded.

"That's what Kankurou and Shikamaru were telling me…" Temari thought aloud.

Shikamaru remained silent. His brain was hard at work.

"Thank-you, Sakura." He said, standing up.

Temari followed suit as he made his way to the front door.

…………………………………………………………….

"Neji…" Shikamaru sat on the soft cushion with his legs crossed. Temari opted to lie slightly on her side. Neji sat across from them, sitting like Shikamaru.

"Neji," Shikamaru repeated, "Did you get a glimpse of the Black Sun when Sakura knocked his mask off?"

Neji shook his head. His long, brown hair waved with the movement.

"Aw no! Nothing?" Temari said, a little discouraged.

Neji thought about it, but he still came up with no, "The Black sun replaced his mask too quickly for me to catch anything. Besides, he was mostly facing Sakura."

Shikamaru nodded. He thought as much.

"Well, thanks anyway…" Temari said, rising. The guys watched her walk to the entrance.

Shikamaru began to rise as well.

"Wait!" Neji urged him to sit back down. Shikamaru obeyed and sat.

"I did see something odd, though I wasn't sure to say it in front of Temari…" Neji looked down. Shikamaru gave him his full attention.

"Some of his sand…" Neji began, "was brown. Brown like Gaara's sand. Also, I noticed something as soon as the battle began." Neji looked at the screen walls. He couldn't look Shikamaru in the eye, "There was blood already on his hands before any of us even begun to fight. It had to be either self-afflicted or from a previous battle."

Shikamaru realized he was holding his breath. He let the air out as he spoke, "Do you think it was from trying to get Gaara?"

Neji finally looked back at him, "I'm not really sure…"

They sat in silence for a little while longer. It was tough for Shikamaru to let this sink in. The situation was weird enough already.

"I hope it wasn't…" Temari said softly to herself. She stood next to the doorway, eavesdropping on the conversation. As she tried to still the beating underneath her breast, she knew why Neji chose not to say it in front of her. "It's because I'm scared."

……………………………………………………………………….

"Shikamaru is coming over in a few minutes." Temari said to her brother. She was back at the sand village. Shikamaru had promised to come later that day with some more clues. He didn't want her away from home too long, so he made her come back.

"He better have something good." Kankurou said, rolling his eyes. Something about the Konoha ninja getting close to his sister wasn't sitting well with him.

"What do you think of Shikamaru?" Temari asked. She was absentmindedly cleaning up Kankurou's room.

"What?" he asked. He heard her, but he was trying to avoid the question.

"I said, what do you think of Shikamaru? Don't make me repeat myself again!"

Kankurou sighed, "He's okay…I guess."

"You guess?" Temari playfully patted him on the head, "C'mon! Tell me!"

Kankurou rolled his eyes. He hated these questions, "He's…nice?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" she quizzed

"What do you want from me?!"

"I asked my question twice already. Give me a good answer."

"Fine!" Kankurou figured he might as well spit it out, "I think he's okay. Much better than other guys you've been known to hang around. But…how did he become so important to you in such little time? He's made you act like a…girly girl! I mean, since when do you care for my opinion on guys you hang with? It just bothers me. He bothers me."

Temari looked at him with new eyes. She didn't know Shikamaru bothered him.

"Are you jealous?" she asked.

Kankurou turned to her, "What?"

"Are you jealous because he gets more attention than you?"

Kankurou stood up, "NO! Why don't you just leave me alone already! Damn!"

He stormed out of the room angrily.

"What's his problem…?" Temari muttered to herself.

"Um…can I come in?" A voice suddenly called into the house. Shikamaru looked after where Kankuro stormed off. He wasn't sure he was wanted.

"Oh, sure. You can come into Kankurou's room." Temari placed soft cushions across each other on the now clean floor. Shikamaru walked in and smirked, "Isn't Kankurou going to join us?" Temari rolled her eyes, "He's having a temper tantrum. We'll begin and he'll catch up later."

Shikamaru nodded and sat down on a cushion. Temari followed suit. "I think I have an explanation for the differences in the Black Sun's appearances." Shikamaru began, "One thing I know for sure is that he's old. In fact, he's ancient." Temari looked away. She hated it enough that she was manipulated, but by an old guy? That was embarrassing.

"I noticed that Sakura said 'when he turned his eyes away from me' that he turned into a hideous old man. His true form. It seems that when looking one directly in the eye, he changes into the person that the victim desires most, or thinks most beautiful. He uses this tactic to cast a hypnotic spell. That's most likely what happened to you, Temari."

Temari looked back to Shikamaru. He was deep in thought. She could tell that he was determined to help her find Gaara. She figured she had better tell him the story passed on for many years in the sand village. The Story of the Dark Shadows.


	3. Story Of the Dark Shadows

Chapter three- Story of the Dark Shadows

Temari realized the Shikamaru seemed to sink into himself. He completely forgot where he was or who else was in the room with him. He just kept his eyes closed and seriously assessed the situation.

"Shikamaru…" Temari said softly. Her dark eyes looked at the clean floor.

Shikamaru snapped out of his thoughts, "Yes, Temari?"

Temari refused to look up, "There's a story…A story I think is significant to the Black Sun."

Shikamaru leaned on his knees, "Why didn't you say so before?!"

Even though she wanted to look up, she kept her eyes down, "I'm sorry…Shall I tell you the story?"

Shikamaru calmed down a little. He was just a little upset that this guy was messing with his mind. Temari seemed to know this and took no offense.

"Yes. Please do." He said coolly. Temari finally looked up at him, "There was a time…"

(Story of the Black Shadows begins)

A young girl, about Temari's age, was picking some flowers near a pond. Her long, black hair fell down her neck as she bent over. "That should be good enough!" She said happily. She stood up and placed a few more flowers in her basket. Her brown eyes twinkled as she looked at her treasure.

"Mother will be sure to get well now! These flowers are so beautiful!" The girl skipped merrily home. No worries were evident in her aura.

Not too far away, a young, intelligent boy sat in the shade, playing with a sack around his waist. He was watching the lovely girl. She looked like a woman, but she was childish at heart. Something about her innocence made the boy never want to leave her side. He refused to call it love, though.

He got out of his hiding spot and followed the girl. It wasn't until he was a foot away from her that he spoke, "Hey, Kara! What are you doing?" Kara looked back at the dark haired boy and smiled, "Hi Toru! I'm just picking some flowers for my mother. She's ill, you know." Toru's green eyes scanned the bouquet. It was truly beautiful.

"Do you think these will help her?" He asked out of curiosity. Kara nodded, "I'm sure it will!" Toru smirked as she began to walk eagerly to her village. He didn't have the heart to tell her, but he knew her mother was going to die.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Mother! I've brought you a lovely bouquet!" Kara placed the inchanting flowers on her mother's breast. She watched as feeble hands lightly grasped the stems. "They're beautiful, Kara. Thank-you." Before Kara could say 'you're welcome', her mother went into fits of harsh coughs.

"Mother!" Kara propped her mother up so she could breathe easier. "I'm sorry if I scared you," her mother apologized, "I'm fine now…really."

Toru looked in from the window. He saw the frail woman try to keep her breathing even. Her skin was exteremly pale with a slight purple tint. She had wrinkles that were way before her time. Toru knew what happened. The shadows got her.

"She said she needs some rest." Kara said, walking out quietly. Toru nodded, even though he knew it wouldn't help.

"Kara…how long did you say your mother was like this?" He asked out of the blue.

Kara thought, "about a week. Why?"

"Do you have any idea where she went? What did she make contact with during the week?"

"How would I know, Toru? She just said something bit her."

Toru thought hard about that. "Are you sure you don't know where she went?"

Kara gave him a scrutinizing look, "Yeah…maybe a cave…"

"Well? Don't just look at me! Tell me!"

"Why?"

Toru sighed. This was where he hated her childishness.

"Because we could go there and probably find a cure or something." Though he knew there wasn't a cure, he wouldn't be satisfied until he saw the cave.

"Hm…" Kara thought about it. She wasn't sure where he was going with this, but it was better than nothing.

"She went to a northern cave. It's right next to Nozomi mountain."

Toru nodded. Then he grabbed her hand, "C'mon!"

Kara blushed the whole way as she held her friends hand. It was so warm…yet it's been through so much. It described his personality perfectly. He was a nice boy, but a little rough around the edges. After all, he grew up all alone.

"Is this it?" Toru asked, breaking her train of thought. They stood before a large cave. A dark energy was wafting from it's mouth like a bad odor.

"Yes…this is it." Kara said, letting go of his hand.

Toru nodded and began walking inside.

"Wait!" Kara cried following him.

"What?" Toru replied, not stopping.

"Who knows what could be in here?! It's dark and scary too!"

Toru rolled his eyes. "I thought you had more courage than this! Let's go already!"

Kara, not wanting to be called a baby, nodded and walked deeper into the cave with him.

"It's starting to get pitch black." Kara said, scared to death. Toru began to chatize her, but soon realized that he couldn't see. "Hey! Kara! Where are you?!" He was greeted with silence.

"Kara! Kara!"

"It bit me!!!!" Toru heard a shrill scream come from the opposite direction.

"Kara!" he cried, and he ran towards her voice.

"Toru!" Kara had tears streaming down her face. She was holding her bitten hand. She was losing a lot of blood. "Kara! I'm here! Where are you?!" Toru felt out into the darkness until he felt something soft. "Kara!" "Toru…you're touching my breast…" she said quietly. Her face was burning in the dark.

"I-I'm sorry!" he said, quickly removing his hand.

Kara shook her head. Then, remembering he couldn't see her, she said, "No…It's okay."

Toru looked in the direction of her voice, "What do you mean?"

Kara looked upwards, letting the tears flow down her cheeks, "I'm going to die. Just like my mother."

Toru was shocked. It was the most serious thing he ever heard her say.

"But you said she would live due to the flowers!"

Kara smiled, "I knew she was doomed from the start. I know what death is Toru. You do too."

Toru looked down. He heard her tears fall on the floor.

"But I love you…" a voice said suddenly.

"What?" Kara asked.

Toru covered his mouth. He realized the voice was his.

"I…love you." He said, a little more surely.

Kara reached out into the darkness. Toru felt her hand on his chest. He lifted it and gently placed his palm on hers.

"My father said the same thing to my mother…then he left us for a new woman." Kara said, suddenly sobbing.

"Tell me the truth, Toru! Do you really love me?!"

Toru lifted his free hand and felt for her face. When he met with the curve of her cheek, he softly wiped her tears.

"Kara…I love you. Really and truly."

Kara fell to her knees and sobbed. Still, her hand never left Toru's. Toru got on his knees as well and moved towards her. Then he held her close.

"Toru…" Kara said softly, "If I die…will you stay with me?" Toru looked in her direction, "What do you mean?" Kara hiccupped, "I don't want you to leave me! Please don't love anyone else! Don't make love to anyone else!"

Toru slowly ingested the words. "Do you promise?" Kara cried. Toru felt his heart being torn in two. He wanted to love again, but knew he would never love anyone as much as she.

"Please promise!" Kara sobbed. Instead of responding, Toru kissed her lips and laid her on the hard floor. He removed her clothes forcefully until he felt her skin. "Toru…" she said softly as she felt his mouth on her neck.

"Did you hear my words?" she asked, "Do you promise?"

Toru lifted her chin and looked into what he hoped were her eyes. "I promise."

…………………………………………………………………………………..

Kara died a few hours later, leaving Toru alone. Upon her death, her flesh turned into a unique purple powder. When Toru lifted it, it was like sand.

"Kara's flesh…will never leave my side…" He said, grasping the strange substance. Suddenly, it reached out and bit him. He dropped it quickly as he felt the venom in his veins.

"Dammit!" he swore. He was going to die…die like Kara…or so he thought. The venom had the same side effects as it had on Kara and her mother, but he still remained alive. It didn't want him dead. Kara wanted him alive.

He opened the sack on his waist and picked up the sand with his tinted, willowy fingers. He smiled slightly as it fell inside. "I'll live for you, Kara…" he promised as his vision blurred to nothing.

(end of Story)

"Rumor has it the Toru still lives to this day, keeping Kara's remains close to his side. He feeds her the soul and flesh of others so that he could never love anyone else." Temari finished quietly. When she looked up, she saw Shikamaru staring deep into her eyes.

"What?" she asked, blushing.

Shikamaru was serious, " What is Kage's name?"

Temari was confused but she said, "It's Karasuma. Karasuma…To...ru…" She drew out the first name as realization struck her.

Shikamaru nodded. "It's seems that fairy tale isn't so farfetched."

_I only thought that maybe the Black Sun was the sand that bit Kara's mother… or perhaps he created the demon. But…to think he isn't the first one…the only one…_ Temari thought this to herself. She wondered if Shikamaru was as confused.

"Kara never wanted him to love anyone else, right?" Shikamaru asked suddenly.

_I guess not_, Temari thought as she nodded.

"Well, just get him to love someone else and his sand will disown him. After all, the sand is Kara, right?"

Temari nodded firmly. She wondered how Shikamaru thought of this stuff so quickly.

It was quiet as they glowed in their triumph. This, after all, could be the way to defeat the Black Sun! "I'll go tell Kankurou! 'Temari said, standing up. Shikamaru took her hand as she walked past him.

"What is it, Shikamaru?" She asked.

"Why…why did you see that man when you looked into the Black Suns eyes?" he asked slowly.

Temari was shocked. She never really thought about that.

"Um…I guess it's because I didn't really have feelings for anyone then. He just turned into something I thought was handsome."

Shikamaru let go of her hand. She could tell something was upsetting him.

"So, guys with purple hair and light eyes are your thing?" he asked, a little out of character.

Temari backed up until she faced him. He turned his head the other way.

"What's wrong, Shikamaru?" she asked, really worried.

Shikamaru remained silent for a long time.

Finally he spoke, "If you…if you look into his eyes again…who do you think you'll see?"

Temari was shocked again. "W-why? I mean…how would I know?"

Shikamaru opened his eyes. She saw something in them she never saw before. She couldn't quite describe it.

"If you look again…who would you see?" He repeated, standing up. Temari thought about it. She wasn't really sure. She was also wondering why he cared so much.

"I'm not sure…" she admitted. Shikamaru held on to her shoulders lightly. She blushed. "Naruto made me realize something…" Shikamaru said. "You mean at the noodle shop?" Temari asked. Shikamaru shook his head, "No. It was before I came…"

(just saying, Shikamaru is NOT saying this part to Temari. It's just a flash back.)

Naruto saw Shikamaru entering Konoha's gate. He was surprised to see him without Temari.

"_Hey, Shikamaru!" he called. _

_His friend lazily turned to his direction, "What?"_

"_Where's your girlfriend?" Naruto ran up to him._

"_Temari is not my girlfriend." Shikamaru sighed._

"_But you knew who I was talking about!" Naruto laughed._

_Shikamaru turned away from him. He didn't want him to see his blush._

"_Why don't you go out with her? You guys are always together." Naruto said matter-of-factly._

"_No we're not. We aren't together now."_

"_You know what I mean! It's like you two were destined to be together or something…"_

_Shikamaru looked up at the orange sky, "Do we really look that way?"_

"_Yeah. Also, whenever you guys are talking, she's always blushing. Also you always stick up for her." _

_Naruto put his hand up and mocked Shikamaru's expression, "_Only guys with good taste in women would want to go with Temari_. Remember saying that?" he asked._

_Shikamaru didn't realize he said it that way. _

"_Also, you always talk about her. Ever since that mission, it's like you've been hook-!"_

"_Will you shutup!" Shikamaru screamed suddenly. His face was on fire. So was his anger. He hated being so easy to read. He was being played like a Shogi piece!_

_Naruto looked down, "I'm sorry…I'm just saying what it looks like…"_

_Shikamaru suddenly felt bad. He sighed heavily and looked back up at the sky, "It's not your fault, Naruto…"_

_He turned to his friend and smiled, "I'm attracted to the forbidden flower. I'm in love with a rose…"_

Temari had never seen Shikamaru so serious. He kept his eyes on her. She felt her face become hotter. "If I were to look in the eyes of the Black Sun…" he said, "I'd see…"

"Okay! That's enough!" Kankurou barged into the room. He was blushing as well. He must have been eavesdropping.

"I leave you guys for two seconds and you get all mushy!" He stood between Shikamaru and Temari.

"You can go now." He said bluntly.

Shikamaru shrugged. He was too lazy to get upset, "See ya Temari. Kankurou."

Temari tried to get past her brother, "Wait! Shikamaru!" she cried. He was already out the door.

"Dammit! I wanted to know! Who would he see?!" She pushed her brother on the floor and ran out after him. "Shikamaru!" she yelled. Only her echoed responded. "He's gone…"

Kankuro followed her outside. She turned to him angrily, "you bastard! How dare you do that!" She pushed him with little feeling. Kankurou felt horrible as she plopped on her knees.

"I'm…so sick of falling on my knees…" she said quietly, "But when I try to stand…my legs give way."

Kankurou tried to put his arms around her, but she smacked them away.

"THERE'S NEVER ANYONE THERE TO HOLD ME UP!" she screamed.

"I'm always there, Temari…" Kankurou said quietly. He felt a little hurt.

"I know, Kankurou…but…but I need someone else…"

she saw the pain grow in her brother's eyes.

"no! Not that I don't want you!" She quickly explained, "It's just that…"

She stood up and placed a hand on her heart as she took a dramatic pose. "It's just that I need someone to not only hold me, but to love me as well…"she tried to explain. Kankurou still wasn't getting it. He did those things, right?

Temari caught that and tried to be more specific, "I need someone to…kiss me, to hold me, to love me." She turned slighty on the dirt path, "I need someone to keep my promises and tell me their secrets. I need to have secrets. Things only we know." Kankurou still wasn't getting it. Didn't a brother do those things? He knew things about Temari that even Gaara didn't know.

Temari realized her brother's confusion. She walked over to him and lightly held his chin. "I need love, Kankurou. I want someone to love me." Finally, Kankurou understood her. He loved her…but she wanted _love._ The love of a man, not a brother. The love one could only receive from someone they haven't known all their lives. From someone that's always there not because they live there, but because they choose to be. That's what Temari needs.

"Funny…" Kankurou began, "I never thought of you as a woman until now." Temari resisted the urge to smack him. Kankurou was grateful as he continued, "I think it's because I'm your brother, but I could never imagine you going off with some guy like in some fairy-tale. You were always like a mother to me, so it's hard to see you as anything else." Kankurou stood up and looked at his sister with new eyes, "I didn't want to see you hurt, but now I see clearly…you need love just as much as anyone does. And you know what, Temari…?" Temari watched him expectantly. Kankurou smiled, "I want you to find it. I want you to find that person every one is searching for, but not everyone receives. I want someone to love you."

Temari held back her tears. Kankurou usually wasn't this…poetic. It must've have been really hard for him hearing his sister want someone else. She hugged him close to her. She hoped he could feel her heart beat. It was beating because he stayed by her for so long. Now, it was time to have a second crutch to lean on.

"Thank-you, Kankuro…" Temari said, realeasing him. Kankuro turned away from her, "Well, aren't you going to find that someone?" Temari nodded and turned towards the village gates. It wasn't until she was far away that Kankuro looked her way.

"Good luck…" he said. He was glad she didn't see his tears.

**Just saying, It's not going to be 'Shikamaru and Temari fall in love' so soon. Remember, temari isn't sure she loves Shikamaru exactly, even though he's sure he loves her. You''l see what Temari goes through. And of course, more on the Black sun. Stay tuned!**


	4. Safe Return?

The Shifting Sands

Chapter four- Safe Return?

Ino walked quietly back towards the Konoha village. In her hands she held a lovely set of flowers. "These will be perfect in our window." She said, referring to her mother's flower shop.

Suddenly, a soft tapping began to invade her thoughts. "What's that noise?" Ino turned in it's direction and gasped, "It's that sand villager!"

Temari was running amongst the treetops. Every now and them a small tap was heard as her foot made contact with a branch. "Why is she going to Konoha?" Ino thought to herself as she saw Temari enter the village gates.

…………………………………………………………

"You guys will never believe what I saw!!!" Ino cried, running to her friends.

Kiba, Hinata, Naruto and Choji were in the alley, doing pretty much nothing. Ino's news just may be the highlight of their day.

"What?" Choji asked, opening a fresh bag a chips.

Ino groaned, "How come everytime I see you, you have a bag of chips?"

Choji put a few chips in his mouth. "Because I always have them handy."

Ino frowned as some chips spewed from his mouth, "Girls don't like fat guys, Choji. Just like guys don't like fat girls."

Choji swallowed, "That's not what Shikamaru said…"

Ino snapped her fingers, "Oh! Shikamaru!!!"

"What about him?" Kiba asked.

"I saw him talking to the sand villager!" she said, excited.

Naruto laughed, "Yeah. What else is new?"

Ino rolled her eyes, "I wasn't done, Naruto! It's _what _they were talking about that was interesting!"

Now Naruto was interested, "We should go to my house and talk."

Everyone agreed. They were sick of standing.

…………………………………………………………………….

"While I was out picking flowers, I saw Temari running into the village." Ino continued eagerly. Hinata walked around the table, placing a drink in front of everyone.

"Shouldn't Naruto be handing out the drinks?" Kiba asked, picking up the orange soda, "After all, this is his house."

Hinata didn't know how to respond, "Um…well…I…"

"Who cares?! Back to my story!" Ino was more excited than any of them have ever seen.

Hinata, relieved to be saved by Ino, sat back down to hear the rest.

"Anyway, I saw her run into the village. She scoped out Shikamaru and began talking in rapid session. I just had to get closer and eavesdrop."

Everyone leaned on the table, ready to hear the rest. Ino continued, "So I got closer and heard her saying something like "So, who would you see?". Shikamaru looked up at the clouds and muttered something. Whatever it was, it made Temari smile. Then she said, "Come on, you can tell me!" so Shikamaru……

(flashback)

_Shikamaru looked back at Temari. No longer did he deny his feelings for her, but a part of him wished she would find out for herself. _

"_I'd see a beautiful girl." He said sarcastically._

_Temari rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean! Be more descriptive!"_

_Shikamaru shrugged, "Well, It's getting late, so I should-!"_

"_It's not even close to noon, let alone the evening! Don't you dare move a muscle!"_

_Shikamaru sighed and resumed his seat on the handrail. Temari tapped her fan impatiently._

"_I'd see…."he began slowly. Temari's eyes widened with anticipation, "Yes?"_

_Shikamaru smirked, "Well… I think I'll keep it secret."_

"_Hey!" Temari pouted as Shikamaru got up and began to leave. Not wanting to be left behind, she followed Shikamaru out of the village._

"What could they have been talking about?" Choji asked, finishing his chips.

Ino shrugged, "I must have missed a lot of information, because none of that made since."

Naruto nodded in agreement. So did Kiba. Everyone looked at Hinata. She didn't nod.

"I take it you have some sort of clue, eh Hinata?" said Kiba.

She nervously played with her fingers. "Um…well…sort of."

Ino slammed her hand on the table, "Spit it out!"

Everyone looked at her, shocked.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly, "It's just that this is the most exciting thing to happened to me all month…"

Hinata nodded, "It's okay…."

"So, tell us what you know, Hinata." Naruto egged her on.

Hinata blushed, "I don't know much…but I overheard Neji talking to Sakura one day….they said something about a 'guy with many faces'. Apparently he has the ability to be beautiful or ugly…or something like that…"

"Wow…I wonder who has THAT kind of power…" Ino pondered.

"Do you know where those two went?" Choji asked suddenly.

"Huh?" said Ino.

"Shikamaru and Temari...where'd they go?"

Ino shrugged, " I figured I was already doing something bad by eavesdropping, so I decided not to follow."

Though everyone agreed with her choice, they silently wished she did follow. Where _did_ they go?

…………………………………………………………………………………

Blonde hair fell across Temari's neck as she bent over to pick some flowers. She had let her hair free of the bands that once held them together. Shikamaru watched her from a little distance. He smiled as she looked at the beautiful plants.

"How'd you find this place?" Temari asked, basking in the beauty.

Shikamaru shrugged, "I was taking a walk…and I came upon this."

Temari looked around, "It's so unreal…" she said softly under her breath. A large mountain looked over them as a waterfall filled the silence. Flowers decorated the ground with the various colors.

"Hey…" she said suddenly. Shikamaru walked next to her, "What?" Temari pointed to a cave. Shikamaru's eyes widened, "I never noticed that before…." They walked closer to it, pushing long branches out of their way.

"Should we go in?" Temari questioned.

Shikamaru shrugged, "Why not?"

Temari stood frozen as he trudged forward.

"Temari? Are you coming?"

Temari remained frozen. "Why do I feel like this will be the last time I ever see you…?" she thought to herself in horror.

"Temari?"

Temari snapped out of her thoughts, "Oh! Sorry…yes, I'm coming…."

…………………………………………………………………………………..

They walked deep into the darkness. Dripping echoed throughout the cave.

"I can't see…"Temari said, sounding more worried then she meant to.

"I know," Shikamaru said, sliding his hand against the wall, "Just stay calm…"

It felt like they've been walking for hours when suddenly, Shikamaru heard something.

THUD!

"Temari?!"

"I really could have found a better way of breaking these…" she muttered.

"What?" Shikamaru followed her voice. He didn't stop until he tripped on a pile of rubble. "What the-!" quickly, he flipped in order to avoid damage. His footsteps echoed as he walked closer to touch the debris. He gasped as familiarity struck at him, "This….this is the same boulder…" he said, his voice slightly shaking. :

"_He'll be behind that barrier." Temari said, pointing to a stack of boulders. Shikamaru walked up to it a placed an exploding tag on it. It sunk inside. "This is a genjutsu." Temari explained, "I think I pointed to the wrong set of boulders." Shikamaru sighed, "Well, I only have three more exploding tags. You better know which one is the real one."_

_Temari inspected the other sets of boulders carefully. After about an hour, she became frustrated. "Screw this!" she pulled out her fan and sent a strong wind throughout the cave. Only one set of boulders collapsed._

"It's that same boulder Temari knocked down!" Shikamaru stood up, his heart pounding, "We're in the Black Sun's hideout!"

"Temari!" Shikamaru was greeted with silence.

"Temari!" He looked around, hoping somehow he could see through the dark.

Suddenly, he felt alone. It was such an eerie feeling…as though it was constricting his very lungs.

Not letting the feeling get to him, Shikamaru used his memory to guide himself throughout the cave. He had to find Temari.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

"You're okay…."

Temari had tears in her eyes as she held him close to her. Though he didn't hug her back, she knew he was just as happy. Suddenly, sand began to enclose her. She took a step back and let it form a barrier around him. Soon, it went back into it's gourd.

"You….I…I'm so happy…" Temari found it hard to make sense…the moment robbed her of logic.

"Stop acting so stupid," he folded his arms and looked away, "No one can kill me that easily."

Temari walked closer to him and played with his red hair. He gently pushed it away.

"Sorry…I'm just relieved, is all…" Temari said, smiling broadly. She thought she'd never see him again.

"Temari!"

Temari turned as Shikamaru appeared in the doorway.

"Gaara!" He said as he laid eyes on Temari's brother.

"A konoha ninja?" Gaara said disapprovingly. All because he was no longer their enemy, didn't mean he had to like them.

"We have to go quickly!" Shikamaru said with extreme urgency.

Temari understood. She realized were she was not too long ago:

"_I can't see…"Temari said, sounding more worried then she meant to._

"_I know," Shikamaru said, sliding his hand against the wall, "Just stay calm…"_

_Suddenly, Temari tripped on a couple of rocks as she walked blindly into the cave._

"_I should've found a better way to break these…." She absentmindedly thought to herself _

_That's when it hit her, "These _are_ the rocks I broke…"_

_Temari quickly stood up as she heard Shikamaru say, "What?" _

_She tried to follow his voice. "Shikamaru!!!" Temari yelled into the dripping room. She felt her body begin to shake as no one responded._

"_Dammit!" She swore. She hated being alone, let alone in a pitch black area. _

_She turned and used her memory to follow the path she made with her enormous fan. _

"_Hey!" she said suddenly. She saw a lit path in front of her. Quickly, she ran towards it. A ray of hope lit within her heart._

"_Shikamaru?!" she cried, looking about the bright room. Torches hung on the walls and no water dripped from the ceiling. In fact, the only thing in the room was a large, purple cocoon._

"_What is this?" Temari waked around it judging whether she should touch it or not. _

_Suddenly, a loud knock rang from within the cocoon. Temari jumped back and readied her fan…or maybe not. _

"_What?!" Temari looked around her. Her fan was nowhere to be seen. _

"_I must've left it outside…." She groaned. The cocoon banged again. Temari crouched down, ready for taijutsu if it was required._

"_Grrr…."A low growl hummed beneath the purple substance. Temari didn't budge, but her heart was beating wildly._

"_HIYAH!!"_

_Temari shielded her face as purple and brown sand flew towards her._

"_Hmp. That was it?" A familiar voice spoke more to himself than to Temari._

_Temari rubbed her eyes free of debris, trying to see who else was in the room._

"_Temari?" The voice seemed to put more happiness in this then he meant._

_Finally, the sand was out of her eyes. She felt it hard to speak as she gazed upon the sand ninja._

"_Gaara!" She ran up to him and hugged him, "You're okay…."_

"Good," Shikamaru said, relieved he didn't have to explain, "Then we should be going. None of us are a match for the Black Sun. We can't chance a meeting." Temari nodded. Gaara looked away. Though he hated to admit it, he knew Shikamaru was right.

Shikamaru picked one of the torches off the wall and started down the hallway. Suddenly, Temari gasped. Shikamaru swallowed hard as he followed her gaze. The "water" dripping from the ceiling was really blood. Corpses littered the floor. They've been walking in a cave of the dead.

"Please…let's get out." Temari said, repulsed.

Gaara didn't say anything; he just glanced at the wasteland with no emotion.

Shikamaru nodded, "I agree, Temari. Let's go."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Just wait until Kankurou sees you!" Temari said gaily.

Shikamaru couldn't help but smile as the left the cave. "I've never seen Temari this happy…." He thought to himself.

Gaara tried to ignore her fawning over him. Temari didn't seem to take the hint as she kept hugging him and messing in his hair.

"I guess I kept my promise…" Shikamaru said with a smirk.

Temari felt a pang within her heart as she saw Shikamaru turn towards Konoha.

"Wait!" she cried, "Maybe you can walk us home…we should tell Kankurou together!" she felt herself begin to get desperate, "Maybe we can defeat the Black Sun! Or maybe…maybe…" she held back the tears that threatened to burst.

"Temari…" Shikamaru said calmly. He was always so calm, " You and I both know we can't face the Black Sun. We'll have to wait…" She watched him look up at the sky, "When I need help…I won't hesitate to ask you." She felt her heart melt as he smiled at her, "After all…I don't trust anybody else."

Temari turned away from him and folded her arms, "Fine!" she pouted, "But don't expect me to be willing!" Shikamaru nodded and continued towards Konoha.

"Temari…" Gaara said slowly

Temari wiped her tears and turned to her brother, "Yes, Gaara?"

"Shouldn't we be going? Forget the konoha ninja." He seemed annoyed.

Temari sniffed and nodded, "Right." She picked up her fan and placed her hair back into their former bands.

As the sun began to get ready to sleep, the two sand ninjas headed towards their village. Temari with a sunken heart…and Gaara with a grin…and odd, twisted grin….

**o.O You don't think it's that easy, do you? Of course, the plot only thickens!!! Oh, and I know I did a lot of flashback thingies and "time" thingies (as I like to call them). Tell me if their annoying…though it won't matter cause I won't redo it. I'll just try to do less of it in the next chapter…which I'm typing as you read.  
**


	5. Phobia

**Or at least I WAS typing as you read. (In reference to my last authors note) My computer hates me, so it didn't save my chapter. But too bad for it cause I got a new one! Ha ha! In its face! Now, on with the story!!**

**Revised, with less grammar mistakes.**

* * *

**The Shifting Sands**

**Chapter 5- Phobia**

"Shikamaru…"

Kankurou turned in his bed, trying to get some sleep. But Temari's murmurings were too loud. Even with the pillow over his head, Kankurou couldn't block out her voice.

"Shikamaru…."

"That's it!" Kankurou threw his pillow in frustration. He got out of bed and walked down the hall towards Temari's room. Without knocking, he opened the door and flicked on the lights.

"Kankurou!" Temari shielded her eyes, "What the hell are you doing?"

Kankurou sighed, "We need to talk."

…………………………………………..

Shikamaru rested in a clearing, unable to sleep. The light of the stars danced upon his body, and it made him feel at peace.

"The stars are beautiful, aren't they?"

Shikamaru turned to see Temari standing behind him. She was in only her nightgown as she stared at the sparkling sky.

"What are you doing here…and so late?" Shikamaru asked, while sitting up.

Temari sat besides him, "Kankurou made me realize something…"

Shikamaru became tense. That was the same thing he said when Naruto made him realize his love for Temari. Could it be…?

"I guess…you've become a big part of me," Temari continued, not noticing Shikamaru's tension, "Every night since we saved Gaara…that was about four days ago, right? Well, everyday since then…I've been whispering in the dark."

Shikamaru looked down, "What does that have to do with me?"

"Well, it was your name I was whispering."

Shikamaru looked back up into Temari's warm, greenish eyes.

"I kept denying it even though I knew it was true. But I'm not hiding anymore. You know what, Shikamaru?" She asked softly.

Shikamaru shook his head, "What?"

Temari brought her face close to his, their lips almost touching. Then she said, almost to quiet for Shikamaru to hear, "I love you."

That was all Shikamaru needed to hear. He closed the space between their lips. Temari made no objections. In fact, she wrapped her arms around his back, pulling him closer.

Shikamaru began to kiss down her neck. Temari shuddered with the sensation.

"I've already come to terms with my feelings" Shikamaru said, sliding her nightgown strap down her shoulder, "I love you too."

He kissed lower and lower on her body. Temari began to breathe heavily as she felt herself get turned on.

"Oh!" she exclaimed when Shikamaru wrapped his lips around her nipple.

Suddenly, she took a sharp intake of air.

Shikamaru stopped instantly, "What?"

Temari shook her head, "Nothing…it felt good…"

Shikamaru stared at her a while, then continued. Once again Temari sharply inhale, but this time she pushed him off.

"Ouch! If you didn't want to, then you should of said no." Shikamaru landed hard on the floor.

Temari shook her head wildly, "But I do! Really! I don't know why I did that…"

Shikamaru came closer to her again. She felt his hand brush against the end of her dress. Quickly, she pushed him off again.

"Okay…obviously you don't." Shikamaru said, giving up.

"No! Wait! I do…it's just that…every time you touch me in a certain way…i…" Tears formed in her eyes. She didn't know what was wrong with her.

Shikamaru glared at her. Temari fidgeted under his scrutinizing gaze. He seemed to be looking inside her. It was like he was picking apart the layers of Temari, trying to find her core. Finally, after what felt like forever, Shikamaru said, " I get it."

Temari watched him stand up, "What?"

"You won't be able to until the Black Sun is defeated."

Now she was really confused, "What?"

"You have a phobia," Shikamaru continued, "remember what you had to do to save Kankurou?

Temari nodded, how could she forget:

_Temari turned away from Kuroi Taiyou. He grabbed her chin and turned her to face him. "Do I not please you?" Temari couldn't stop the blush from rising in her face as she looked at him. There was something otherworldly about him. It made it hard to resist him. "You really are beautiful…" He said as his sand glided about her. It went under her clothes and slid against her flesh._

"_You know, my real name is Karasuma Toru." The Black Sun said kindly to Temari, "I much prefer Kage or the Black Sun…which do you like, Temari-chan?" Temari was breathing hard as the sand groped her. "I like Kage, Kuroi Taiyou-sama." She was completely under his control. She gasped as the sand entered her womanhood. "Ah!" It swirled around her body like a snake. She was about to explode._

"_Temari-chan, I want to hear your cute voice…" Kage motioned to her, "Crawl to me…" Temari began to decline, but the sand started to come for her. She sighed._

_Kankurou watched her get on all fours and crawl to him. The she stood on her knees and begged, "Master…I'm at your command."_

"Because of that…we can't…well…" Shikamaru blushed and looked away.

Temari was outraged, "So even though I have my brother back, that bastard is still, in a way, controlling me?! DAMMIT!" She kicked at the air. Finally, she admits her feelings…only to find that _he_ still has her.

Quietly, after her anger subsided, Temari walked over to Shikamaru. She turned his head towards her and kissed him softly.

Shikamaru watched as she turned, with tears in her eyes, back to her village.

"Shikamaru…I'm sorry."

………………………………………………………..

"I'm so stupid! I shouldn't have given in to the Kuroi Taiyou!" Temari chastised herself as she walked back to the sand village. Her tears were of anger and pity. She really loved Shikamaru…she really did.

"Temari, are you okay?"

Temari looked up. Gaara was standing in her path.

"Gaara…?" She said, confused. It was the first time she heard him ask that.

"Are you okay, Temari?" He asked again.

She shook her head, "No…"

Gaara opened his arms, "Do you need a hug?"

Now Temari was sure this wasn't her brother, "Who are you?" She cried, reaching for her fan. That's when she remembered; she left it home, "Damn!" All she had now were her fists.

"Who am I?" 'Gaara' spoke in a queer voice, "I'm your brother. You need a hug, right?"

Temari took a step back, "No! Don't you dare come near me!"

Suddenly, 'Gaara' began to laugh. The sound was so inhuman, so menacing, that it actually made Temari fall to her knees in pain. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force the pain back.

Finally, 'Gaara' stopped laughing. Temari opened her eyes. Nothing prepared her for what she saw when she looked up.

'Gaara' was nothing but a mess of sand. Purple sand. It was large and seemed to consume the moon, leaving Temari shrouded in darkness. The only thing she had on her side was the ability to breathe.

"Come sister," the tidal wave of sand said. The voice no longer sounded like Gaara's. It was the voice of the man that caused her phobia. The Kuroi Taiyou.

"Come sister," he repeated, "Let me give you a hug."

* * *

**Dun dun DUN! I'm sure you all knew that that Gaara was a fake, but aren't some of ya wondering why he waited for about four day's before he attacked? I shall explain….in the next chapter of course. Stay tuned, and sorry for the long wait. But Summer is here, so it will be filled with updates and such. ;) Oh, and the flashbakc...i just randomly selected parts of it from the second chapter, so that's why it doen'st make much sense...I mean it does, but not really.**


	6. Where's Temari?

**Explanation of the four day's wait (in the story, not me) will be revealed in the next chapter! I'm already half way done on it, so yeah...on ward. I was in a hurry when i did this.**

* * *

Chapter 6

Leaves fell silently on the ground as the ninja leaped through the trees. It was morning now, but yesterday's night was still lingering in his mind.

"It's been really quiet since she left…" He said softly to himself…remembering their kiss. His thoughts were only that of her.

Suddenly, he noticed how quiet the woods were.

He stopped abruptly on a branch and looked around. There was something odd about this silence. There was something missing….something like life.

"Where are all the birds and animals?" Shikamaru thought. It's not normal for it to be this quiet. "Something must have scared them off…."

Suddenly his heart began to beat wildly…for some reason he couldn't stop thinking about Temari. Why did he associate the silence with her?

Without hesitating, he ran across the branches towards the sand village.

……………………………………….

"Kankurou!"

Kankurou jerked up at the sound of his name. He was just talking to a fellow villager, asking if they knew of Temari's whereabouts.

"Shikamaru!" He responded, slitghtly relieved, "You know where Temari is, right?"

That froze Shikamaru to his spot.

Kankurou eye's widened as fear grew within his chest. "Didn't she go with you….?"

Shikamaru nodded, "We were together….but we separated. After that….I noticed that everything was quiet…."

Kankurou began to worry, "The last time I saw her was when I telling her about the "sleep-talking"….when she disappeared, I just figured she was with you….but it's not like Temari to spend such a long time away from home. I knew something was up."

Shikamaru could sense his urgency. He closed his eyes so he could think, but only images of Temari in danger came to mind.

"Can we go inside?" He asked Kankurou. "There's too much noise out here."

Kankurou nodded absentmindedly and they walk to the sand village home.

…………………………………………….

"Thought of anything yet?"

Kankurou became slightly impatient as he waited for Shikamaru to say something. Shikamaru hadn't responded for hours. He just kept his eyes closed while his hands clasped in front of him in the form of a box.

"Shikamaru, we're getting nothing done by just sitting here."

The konoha ninja still ignored him. His thoughts were more important.

"Shikama-!"

"Where's Gaara?" Shikamaru said at last.

Kankurou thought, "I think he's upstairs…at least that's where I saw him last."

Not wasting a second, Shikamaru ran up the stairs to the balcony. Kankurou followed close behind.

"DAMMIT! Shikamaru screamed, looking ahead.

"What?" Kankurou asked, not being able to see past Shikamaru. Shikamaru stepped out of the doorway. Kankurou gasped as he was greeted with the wind….and nothing else.

……………………………………………………………

"So what you're saying is…"

"That Temari was kidnapped? Yes."

"But by whom?"

Shikamaru cringed, "Him."

Kankurou felt a chill surge through his body, but he shook it off.

The two ninjas were rapidly crossing the forest branches. None of them were quite sure what they were looking for, but each knew that the forest was the place to start.

"I think we should split." Shikamaru suggested.

Kankurou nodded, and immediately headed off to the right.

PLOP!

The sound as Kankurou landed on his feet resounded through the empty forest. He looked to his left and right. Seeing nothing obvious, he trudged forward.

"There's got to be something here….anything!" He said to himself, scanning the floor as he walked.

Suddenly, Shikamaru's voice rang through the trees, "Kankurou! I found something!"

Kankurou quickly followed his voice….but nothing could prepare him for what he saw.

There before Shikamaru, was a pile of sand. Purple sand.

It reached up to Shikamaru's knees, and seemed to be breathing.

Shikamaru picked some up, still facing away from Kankurou.

"Hey! Don't touch that!"

Shikamaru left the sand slide through his fingers, not giving heed to what Kankurou said.

"Shikamaru!" The sand ninja walked up to him…and was stunned.

The anger on Shikamaru's face was one that Kankurou had never seen before….ever. On ANYBODY. His heart beat actually began to quicken as he gazed upon Shikamaru's glare.

"If…he dared to TOUCH her…" Shikamaru's voice was rattled with rage, "I'll KILL him!"

Kankurou was amazed. He never thought he'd hear those words from Shikamaru, of all people. But the expression on his face and the determination of his words told Kankurou that he was not joking.

Shikamaru crushed the sand in his hand. Its breathing stopped between his fist, "The black sun will not know what hit him."

**Sorry for the wait, no time for excuses, i'm working on the next chaper now, just give me about a half-hour, read and review.**


	7. Kara of the Sand

**I didn't realize how many errors I made! I redid it, with WAAAAY less errors. I'll try not to type so fast next time! **

Chapter 7

Kankurou refrained from talking to Shikamaru as they tried to find Kuroi Taiyou's cave. He figured Shikamaru need some time to think.

And he was right. The thoughts running through Shikamaru's heads were thoughts of murder. The very thought of the black sun LOOKING at Temari made him clench his fist.

Suddenly, Kankurou tripped over a rock and fell. Embarrassed, he got up and began to brush himself off.

"Stop slowing us down! Temari needs us!" Shikamaru spat.

"Hey, don't get angry with me! I did nothing to you!"

"Yes you did. You wasted some of my life."

Kankurou laughed, "You? Have a life? Since when?"

Shikamaru glared at the sand ninja, "Since Temari. And if we don't get her soon…"

Silence began to rule the conversation. Kankurou realized that Shikamaru wasn't going to finish his statement. It was okay. He didn't want to know.

………………………………………………….

"This is it." Shikamaru declared. They were in a miraculous field of flowers…some that Kankurou had never seen before.

"How do you know for sure?" Kankurou asked, concealing his awe.

Shikamaru looked away, "Temari and I have been here before…"

"And you're sure the cave is still here? You know that the black sun always…." Kankurou's sentence was cut short as he looked upon the large cave. Thoughts of the past ran through his mind.

"He's not going to leave anytime soon." Shikamaru filled the silence, "There's something about this place that reminds him of her."

Kankurou put two and two together. "Do you mean…Kara? From the village stories?"

Shikamaru didn't respond as he entered the cave. Kankurou took it as a "yes" as he followed his companion.

………………

"BOO!"

The loud sound nearly knocked Kankurou off his feet, "What the hell was that for Shikamaru?!" he called in the darkness.

"I have to figure this genjutsu. Obviously the real path will have an echo.

Kankurou watched him go to a different rock formation and yell "BOO!" This one had an echo. He walked though it and Kankurou followed behind.

"Didn't you tell me that Temari broke the boulders down already?"

Shikamaru shrugged, "It seems that the Black Sun is expecting us, then…BOO!"

Kankurou covered his ears, "Can't you yell something else?!"

"Fine, "SHUT-UP!"

Kankurou relented, "I guess boo was better…" It was hard for him to get used to the ruder, more determined Shikamaru. The sooner they found Temari, the better.

_Ai ga hoshii…nani mo iranai…_

_Demo..._

_Karada o motte inai._

_Who will love me now?_

A girl's voice rung gently through the cave. The words sung struck something in Shikamaru…something that drew him towards her voice:

_Who will love me now? Without a body?_

She began to put stressed emotions in her words. And though she began to speak a different language, Shikamaru knew its meaning.

Kankurou watched in horror as the konoha ninja moved against his will.

_LOVE ME! Will you love me? Say "Aishiteru!" Just once!_

The song was so sad….and detached from the reality of the genjutsu ridden cave.

"I'll love you…" Shikamaru whispered.

"What?" Kankurou said, shocked, as he followed the hypnotized victim.

Finally, they reached a room where the woman's voice reached an amazing decibel. She was definitely in this room.

"T-Temari! You can sing?" Kankurou yelled his shock as he gazed upon the woman, his sister.

She was dressed in nothing but panties and diamonds. The diamonds were huge and covered most of her body as they hung from her neck.

Shikamaru didn't seem to notice as he neared her.

"Will you love me?" Temari asked tenderly, "Even though I don't have a body?"

Shikamaru nodded.

"Truly?"

Another nod.

Kankurou's eyes widened as Temari's smiled…her mouth racked with fangs.

Her laugh threatened to make Kankurou vomit, "Good boy."

"Shikamaru!" Kankurou pushed the boy out of the way as "Temari" tried to take a bite out of him.

"How dare you!!!?!" She screamed, as she changed shape. Her hair became long and brown, her eyes big and innocent. But as quickly as that woman appeared, she disappeared, becoming no more than a pile of sand.

"Huh…What happened?" Shikamaru got up from the floor in a daze."

"We're getting real sick of your shape-shifting games, Kuroi Taiyou!" Kankurou yelled, ignoring Shikamaru.

"Kage's not here…" The woman's voice spoke. It came from the sand.

Kankurou looked at the pile, "Then where is he? And where is my sister?"

The sand began to change shape again. It turned into a series of fireflies. Without uttering a word, the group of bugs flew off into the dark cave.

"Hey! Get back here! Come on, Shikamaru!" Kankurou grabbed the still-dazed ninja as they followed the lighted bugs.

"You better be leading us somewhere!" He yelled, keeping as close as possible.

The woman's laugh taunted them as the bugs darted this way and that.

That infuriated Kankurou, "I swear if this is a wild goose chase…"

His sentence was cut short as the lady led them into a bright room. Temari was in the exact center, tided up to a Stalagmite.

"KANKUROU! SHIKAMARU!" She screamed with joy in her eyes.

Finally, Shikamaru came to his senses, "Temari!" He ran to her, not seeing the sand change into the brown-haired woman again.

She knocked Shikamaru hard into the wall behind him.

"GAH!" Shikamaru spit out blood as he sputtered.

"Shikamaru!" Temari bowed her head and sobbed.

"What the hell, lady?!" Kankurou screamed, hating to see Temari cry.

"This woman is going to die. He has no say." Was her simple reply.

"And who are you to say such a thing?" Shikamaru forced out as he tried to stand.

The woman looked to him and frowned, "Do you love her?"

Without hesitation, "Yes."

That brought a smile to her face, "Then you'll know how I feel when she dies."

Shikamaru glared at her, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Completely ignoring him, the woman spoke, "My poor Kage! He had to die today!"

"The black sun?" Kankurou said in disbelief."

The woman laughed, "Oh my, yes. He fell in love."

"That's not a sin!" Temari screamed from within the lighted room.

The smiled that was on the woman's face melted, literally, into a frown.

"Don't you dare talk, you wretched bitch!" She spat, "You're the reason!"

Now everyone was confused...everyone but Shikamaru.

"With Temari...? In love with Temari?" He asked breathlessly.

The woman nodded, tears streaming down her cheek, "And I warned him! I told him not to love anyone else!"

"To love only you...to make...love with no one else..." Shikamaru finished.

Finally he stood up, ignoring the pain. "Kara." He said firmly.

The woman's body tensed at the sound of her name, "What?"

"How do you know this? Why Temari?"

She looked with cold eyes at Temari as she spoke, "My love...I've never left his side. All I asked was for him to sustain me...to feed me..." She sighed and turned to Shikamaru, "But after he caught and freed this wench...he stopped caring for me. Everything was about Temari. Though he would cover it up with stuff like "I want to see her burn" or other threats, I knew they were empty. He would never harm her."

Fat, fake tears of sand splattered on her face, "I gave him four days...four days to prove to me he hated her and loved only me. I told him to take the form of her brother...and kill her. But when his four days were up...he hadn't even laid a finger on her."

Her anger grew as her tears dissipated, "So I murdered him, as he did my heart! Right now, I have no idea if he has decomposed or not, and I don't care!"

"So you couldn't just live with that?" Shikamaru countered, "Why does Temari have to be killed?!"

She clenched her teeth, "Because I need someone else to feel the pain! Shikamaru...you must know! I CAN'T be the only one!!!"

With that said, she walked briskly into the room of Temari's captivity. Shikamaru followed behind her, as did Kankurou.

"Stand back if you value your lives!" Kara screamed, but Shikamaru wouldn't hear of it. Neither would Kankurou.

"Please listen to her!" Temari sobbed, "I couldn't bear it if you guys died!"

That made them hesitate. Shikamaru was torn, but he felt his righteous half controlling him.

Kara made no note of this as she cut into her knock-off flesh. Purple sand flowed out and onto Temari's feet. A barrier began to form as the sand proceeded to consume Temari.

"NO!" Shikamaru ran towards them, managing to get inside the barrier before it completely formed.

Kankurou wasn't as lucky. He stood outside, banging on the thin obstacle.

"SHIKAMARU! I said NO!" Temari cried, the pain shooting through her body.

Shikamaru refused to listen to her. He ran up to her, trying to pull off the sand.

"Get off!" Kara demanded, pushing him violently into the barrier walls. Shikamaru felt something snap as he tried to stand.

"Shikamaru..." Temari's voice was getting weak now.

"T-Temari!" Shikamaru could barely stand; the pain in his chest was too much.

Kankurou's banging was continuous as he tried to get in.

All hope seemed lost as Kara's laugh filled the silence, "Do you feel it yet, Shikamaru? Do you feel the pain?!"

BOOM!

Kara and her sand was knocked through the barrier, shattering it into small pieces. As she made contact with the wall, she became a big mess of sand.

Shikamaru was stunned, "What the...?"

"Touch her again..." A cold, sinister voice spoke, "and you'll regret ever seeing the light of day."

The three of them looked at the source of sound with new-found respect. He didn't seem to take notice as he stood with folded arms.

"You!" Kara screamed, regaining her shape, "Didn't I lock you up?!"

"As if that chamber could hold me." He said. No smugness was evident though. Just the intent to kill.

"Gaara..." Temari said, hope regaining in her eyes.

Gaara only stared at Kara, "Now it's time to finish this."

* * *

**Ta-da! Sorry about the curt author's note in the other one, but I'm actually taking time off of homework to do this. I hope you don't mind all of the dialogue, but a lot of stuff had to be explained. Let's hope for the climatic battle in the next chapter! Coming when I have the time!**

**Song Translation: I want love. I need nothing else.**

**But...**

**I don't have a body.**

**Who will love me now?**

**And I think you may already know, but Aishiteru means I love you.**


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